As you’ll hear, Darren really speaks my language, because the things he’s describing are in line with solid cognitive and behavioral principles. There’s a lot here that you can take and start to use right away in your own life. Topics we got to included:

What it means to “master your code”

The distinction between automatically programmed thoughts and behaviors and those we choose deliberately

The influence of Stoic philosophy in Darren’s work (see this previous episode with Stoic writer Dr. William Ferraiolo)

How to find one’s purpose

Ikigai as one’s reason for getting out of bed in the morning (see this bestselling book for an in-depth exploration of the concept [affiliate link])

Abraham Maslow and self-actualization

Why we often run from our calling and purpose

Why being unsure of ourselves about a new project can actually be a positive sign

Playing not to lose versus playing to win

The crucial importance of the questions we ask ourselves

Seeing ourselves as vessels through which our calling can be expressed

Darren Gold is a Managing Partner at The Trium Group, where he advises and coaches CEOs and leadership teams at many of the world’s most innovative companies, including Roche, Dropbox, Lululemon, Sephora, Cisco, eBay, Activision, and Warner Bros.